Ragdoll Cats

Cats cannot be trained like dogs. Pet owners make many mistakes by using a dog mentality when dealing with their Ragdoll cats. Never hit or punish your cat physically. The only thing this will do is make your cat afraid of you. Cats can be trained to correct negative behaviors or reinforce positive ones. One method of communicating to your cat that a behavior is unwanted is to use surprise. Cats hate surprises; loud noises such as snapping your fingers, clapping, hissing, along with a stern “No” can be used to stop unwanted actions. Don’t use a squirt gun as this could cause your cat to associate grooming with unwanted behaviors and this could cause you more problems down the road.

Another method of training your cat not to perform unwanted behaviors is referred to as the face push method. This is done by gently pushing your palm against the cat’s face. This is an excellent way to discourage biting. Don’t hit your cat, just gently push your cats face back; verbal reinforcement is helpful, add a stern “No” to this action.

When dealing with unwanted behaviors it is always best to start training as early as possible. You will have better results training a kitten than you will an adult cat. You should never tolerate unwanted behaviors as the behavior will be harder to correct later on.

The following is a list of undesirable cat behaviors and the approach you can take to correct them.

Cats and Houseplants

Cats love plants. They like to chew on the leaves and dig in the pots. Some will even use your plants as a litter box. To stop your Ragdoll from chewing the leaves try spraying Bitter Apple on the leaves. Bitter Apple is a taste deterrent you can purchase at your local pet supply store. Cayenne pepper can also help prevent your cat from eating plants; however pepper does not last as long as the bitter apple. Another thing you could try is growing wheat grass or catnip to provide a more attractive alternative to your geranium. As for diggers or bathroom violators, try covering the dirt with gravel or foil. If your cat has been urinating in the plant you may need to add some vinegar to the soil; this will take care of the ammonia your cat left in the pot.

Your Cat and a New Baby

Your Ragdoll cat can get jealous of your new baby or even another pet. Give your cat a healthy does of attention to compensate. With all the hectic activity resulting from a new baby, it is very easy to neglect your cat; this will cause resentment on top of the jealousy.

Cats can become jealous upon the arrival of a new baby. Reassure the cat that you still love it by paying it plenty of attention. In the exhaustion and turmoil of a new baby, the cat is often neglected, and this will add to its resentment.

Cats that Spray

Some cats spray urine to mark territory. The first thing to do in alleviating this behavior is to visit your veterinarian. Your vet will be able to eliminate medical reasons as causes for the spraying; however, spraying is more often attributed to behavioral problems. In order to prevent your cat from marking the same area again you need to clean the area with an enzyme based cleaner to remove the odor. One problem area that might alleviate spraying is the litter box. If you keep your litter box clean the spraying may stop. Your pet supply store sells cat-repellant solutions that might work to keep your cat away from areas it is spraying.

Scratching Problems

If you have problems with your Ragdoll cat scratching your furniture, spraying eucalyptus or bitter apple on the area scratched may help. Use praise or food to reinforce behavior when they scratch the post and not furniture. If your cat is scratching plants pepper may help. Make sure you have sufficient scratching materials available for your cat. If your cat never uses the scratching post it could be due to the material your post is made of. The post should be smooth and not cause them to get their claws stuck. Scratching posts made of rope work well with many cats; your cat may favor vertical or horizontal arrangements for the post as well.